Fuel atomizer for steel furnace



Uited States Patent FUEL ATOMIZER non STEELFURNACE Walter R. L0sada, F0ntana, Calif. Application February 28, 1955, Serial No. 490,717

Claims. 01. 261-78) The present invention relates in general to fuel atomizers and, more particularly, to a device for thoroughly atomizing and/ or vaporizing oil prior to introducing same into the combustion chamber of a steel furnace, or the like, a primaryobject of the invention being to provide a device of this nature which atomizers and/or vaporizes the oil to such an extent as to result in a material reduction in oil consumption for the same steel production, or a material increase in steel production for the same oil consumption.

In general, oil burning equipment of the character referred to is provided with an atomizer wherein the fuel oil is mixed with a stream of heated air, or superheated steam, the oil stream or jet being dispersed mechanically throughout the steam or air stream and being vaporized by the heated stream of air or steam, which then carries the vaporized oil into the combustion chamber. In any such atomizer, the ultimate goal is complete vaporization of the oil to attain maximum combustion and, thus, minimum oil consumption. However, complete vaporization is difficult to attain, particularly with heavy fuel oils, and presently available atomizers fall far short of attaining complete vaporization. Tests of my invention have shown that it is capable of reducing fuel oil consumption by approximately twenty percent as compared to the fuel oil consumption required with presently available atomizers under the same conditions, which is an extremely important feature of the present invention since it permits a corresponding increase in production with no increase in oil consumption.

The foregoing saving in fuel oil consumption is attained with the present invention by conveying a stream of hot air or steam along a straight path, conveying a stream of oil, or other liquid fuel, along a path which converges with the air or steam path at an acute angle and which, if projected, intersects the air or steam path, and deflecting the fuel stream toward the air or steam path at a point upstream from the projected intersection of the paths, the foregoing being an important object of the invention.

Another object is to provide a fuel atomizer which includes a straight passage for hot air or steam, a straight fuel passage extending in the same general direction as the air or steam passage and making an acute angle therewith, and a baflie spaced from the downstream end of the fuel passage and extending substantially perpendicularly of the air or steam passage, but spaced therefrom, so as to deflect the fuel stream or jet transversely into the stream of air or steam without presenting any obstruction to the flow of air or steam. With this construction, efficient dispersion of the fuel throughout the stream of air or steam is attained, and the minute particles of fuel are vaporized'almost completely by the hot air or superheated steam, or other heated fluid. Consequently, substantial fuel savings for the same production result, which is an extremely important feature.

Another object is to provide an axially extending nozzle "ice.

for introducing the hot air or steam into the passage therefor which is adjustable to vary the extent to which the nozzle projects into such passage, thereby shortening or lengthening the flame produced in the combustion chamher.

The foregoing objects, advantages and features of the present invention, together with various other objects, advantages and features thereof which will become apparent, may be attained with the exemplary embodiment of the invention which is illustrated in the accompanying drawing and which is described in detail hereinafter. Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is an isometric view of a fuel atomizing device which embodies the present invention; and

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, longitudinal sectional view taken along the arrowed line 22 of Fig. 1 of the drawing.

In the drawing, the numeral 10 designates the housing of the fuel atomizing device of the invention. The housing 10 is provided with a transverse bore or passage 12 therethrough for hot air, superheated steam, or other heated fluid suitable for the-purpose. At its upstream end, the passage 12 is provided with a counterbore 14 into which is threaded a bushing 16. Threaded through the bushing 16 and projecting axially into the upstream end of the passage 12 is an induction nozzle 18 for introducing hot air or superheated steam into the straight passage 12. By screwing the induction nozzle 18 into or out of the bushing 16 to vary the extent to which it projects into the passage 12, the length of the flame produced by the device within the combustion chamber, not shown, may be varied. By backing the induction nozzle 18 out of the passage 12, the flame will be shortened, and vice versa.

The passage 12 is provided at its downstream end with a counterbore 20 into which is threaded a pipe 22 of substantial length, the pipe 22 forming part of the housing 10 and the internal diameter of the pipe 22 being equal to the diameter of the passage 12 so as to provide a smooth continuation of the passage 12. Thus, the passage 12, and its continuation, are straight and of constant diameter for a substantial distance to provide for straight, uninterrupted flow of the hot air or superheated steam for a substantial distance. This permits taking full advantage of the velocity of the stream of hot air or superheated steam to thoroughly disperse fuel particles throughout the stream, something which cannot be attained to as high a degree with curved passages, or passages of changing cross section. For maximum effectiveness, the distance from the downstream end of the induction nozzle 18 to the downstream end of the pipe 22 should be about four to six times the diameter of the passage 12.

Connected to the downstream end of the pipe 22 is a reducing nipple 24 to which is connected a pipe 26 leading into the combustion chamber, not shown, of the equipment with which the atomizer of the invention is used.

Formed in the housing 10 downstream from the induc tion nozzle 18 and substantially perpendicular to the passage 12 is a bore 28 which is plugged at its outer end and which provides a baflle or baflle means 30. In other words, a portion of the wall of the bore 28 forms the bafiie 30, it being understood that this bafile can be formed in other ways. It will be noted that, the baffle 30 is substantially perpendicular to the passage 12 and lies entirely outside this passage so as to present no obstruction to flow through the passage 12.

Formed in the housing 10 at an acute angle to the passage 12 and intersecting the bore 28 is a bore 32 into which is threaded a fuel induction pipe 34. Threaded into the inner end of the pipe 34 is a fuel induction nozzle 36 which extends into the bore 28 and which is adapted to direct a jet of fuel at the baflie 30, the exact position of the nozzle 36 being adjustable by screwing the pipe 34 into or out of the bore 32. The jet of fuel directed'toward the baflie 30 by the nozzle 36 extends along a path which, if extended, would intersect the axis of the passage 12 at an acute angle, the baflle 30 being located upstream from such point of intersection.

With the foregoing constructionflhe jet of fuel emanating from the fuel induction nozzle 36 impinges on the baflle 30, which deflects the fuel transversely into the stream of hot air or superheated steam flowing through the passage 12 at high velocity. Theresult is that the fuel isfinely atomized and thoroughly dispersed throughout the stream of hot air or superheated steam, the resulting particles being .almost completely vaporized. Consequently, almost complete combustion 'of the fuel is attained in the combustion chamber, with fuel savings of the order of magnitude hereinbeforediscussed. One feature is that the oil is deflected into the passage 12 by the baflle 30 substantially at the'discharge end of the induction nozzle 18, so that the hot air or superheated steam flowingthrough the nozzle .18 under substantial pressure expands in the passage 12 at thepoint of deflection of the oil into the passage 12, which apparently aids in thoroughly atomizing the oil and thoroughly dispersing it throughout the stream of .hot air or superheated steam. Although I have'disclosed anexemplary embodiment of my invention herein for purposes of illustration, it will be understood that various changes, modifications and substitutions may be incorporated in such embodiment without departing from the spirit of theinvention as defined in the claims allowed to me and appearing hereinafter.

I claim as my invention: a

1. An atomizer for intimately mixing air and fuel oil comprising a housing provided with a straight, opencentered air passage of circular cross section which extends through said housing and which is of substantially constant diameter, said housing being provided with a straight, open-centered .fuel oil passage of circular cross section which converges with .said airpassage at an acute anglethereto of the order of magnitude of said housing being provided with an opening therein which connects the downstream end of said fuel oil passage to said air passage intermediate the upstream and downstream ends of said air passage, said opening having a Wall substantially perpendicular to said air passage and spaced from the downstream end of said fuel oil passage for deflecting fuel oil emanating from said fuel oil passage toward said air passage, said wall being located externally of said air passage so as topresent no obstruction to the flow of air through said air passage.

2. An atomizer according to claim 1 wherein the length of said air passage is from four to six times the diameter thereof.

3. An atomizer as defined in claim 1 including a nozzle extending axially into said air passage at the upstream end thereof for introducing a stream of air thereinto, and including means threadedly connecting said nozzle to said housing for'adjusting the extent to which'said nozzle projects into said air passage.

4. An atomizer as defined in'claim 3 including another nozzle in said fuel oil passage and defining the downstream end thereof, said atomizer including means threadedly connecting said other nozzle to said housing for adjusting the spacing between the downstream end of said fuel oil passage and said wall.

5. An atomizer as defined in claim 4 wherein said opening connecting the downstream end of said fuel oil passage to said air passage is ofcircular cross section so that said deflecting wall is arcuate in cross section.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

